Legalize Marijuana, End Budget Crisis
The government should legalize marijuana now for several reasons. The costs associated with marijuana for the government are huge. A study by Jeffery Miron, a professor at Harvard, said that legalizing marijuana would save the government $7.7 billion a year. Second, legalized marijuana would bring in a large amount of tax revenue. Miron estimated that it would bring in $6.2 billion if it were taxed at the rates of alcohol and tobacco. Next, many studies agree that marijuana is actually safer than alcohol and tobacco. It doesn’t really make sense for marijuana to be illegal while alcohol and tobacco are sitting on shelves in the store. Finally, the prohibition of alcohol should have taught us something. Making it illegal made it much less safe and only served to make organized crime rich. Illegal marijuana is making our government broke and drug dealers rich.
Budget Shortfalls
Right now many states including the one I live in, Tennessee, are having huge budget shortfalls due to the recession. These states have been forced to cut jobs and hours. Some states, like California, are in huge trouble. They are actually shutting down the government for 2 days a month right now to save money. That means less hours for the workers, and inconvenience for everyone in the state. Miron estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion dollars a year by reducing the enforcement and incarceration costs. Legalizing marijuana would allow us to use our police force in ways that are much more helpful to the general population than trying to put Michael Phelps in jail. This budget savings would allow many jobs to be saved around the country.
Increased Tax Revenues
If we were to legalize marijuana, we would add significant taxes to any purchase. The cost would be similar to the current cost, however, the profit would be going to the government in the form of tax revenue instead of to drug dealers. Miron put the estimate at around $6.2 billion dollars. Remember those budget problems I was talking about, this would be a nice windfall that could help save / create more even more jobs. Making marijuana legal would also reduce drug related crime and keep our youth doing legal work instead of being enticed by the huge amounts of money that is made selling drugs.
Marijuana is Safer than Alcohol and Tobacco
Medical experts say that marijuana use is generally safer and less addictive than other legal drugs.
“Is marijuana safer [than alcohol]? The short answer is ‘yes,’” said Dr. Mitch Earleywine, a University of Southern California psychologist who is the author of “Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence” and the just published “Mind-Altering Drugs: The Science of Subjective Experience.” The evidence is clear, he told DRCNet. “Cannabis has no lethal dose, so you can’t die from it. The impact on the brain structure for cannabis is nil, but there can be very serious brain function changes with alcohol abuse. Also, more dramatic liver functions are impaired with alcohol. Malnutrition, B-vitamin deficiency, and Korsakoff’s Disorder are all linked to alcohol, but not cannabis.”
I am certainly not advocating the use of marijuana. I don’t and have never used it. I also don’t drink or smoke. That isn’t the point. The point is that the health effects are similar or less than other legal drugs. It just doesn’t make sense for marijuana to be illegal while alcohol and tobacco are not.
Learn from History, Prohibition Failed
Prohibition was a very interesting social experiment in the United States. It made alcohol illegal. It did not however remove alcohol from America. What it did was make people drink things that were much worse for them. It also made organized crime a lot of money. Does this sound familiar? Marijuana is pretty easily found in the United States right now even though it is illegal, but who knows what else it contains. Drug dealers are getting rich and not paying taxes just like the organized crime did during Prohibition. We could help fix that with the fair tax, but it makes more sense to just take away their illegal income. We have to start learning from history. Prohibition of alcohol was a failure, prohibition of marijuana isn’t working very well either.
Legalize Marijuana, Solve the Budget Problem
Right now we are in a recession. Unemployment is higher than anyone would like it to be. President Obama just signed an almost $800 billion stimulus package into law trying save jobs. We should legalize marijuana and help out some of the many states that are currently having serious budget problems. It would certainly help a lot to have more money coming in and less going out.
I wholeheartedly agree with this post. I’ve been arguing the same thing for a while now, (as has the Marijuana Policy Project and NORML.)
It’s such a complete joke that marijuana is still illegal.You would figure with the amount of therapeutic value it has,it certainly would be legal.
It would facilitate a great amount of economic prosperity…something we are in DIRE need for.
Everyone would be in better health and feel better, where would the profit be for the LEGALIZED DRUG DEALERS if that happened? Maybe with the country going broke and millions of people without jobs and insurance the government will take a second look at the money to be made from legalizing hemp…after all it’s not about us and how we feel, it’s about the money for them
“Miron estimated that it would bring in $6.2 billion if it were taxed at the rates of alcohol and tobacco.” are those estimates based on black market prices of the good now? B/c if it ever gets legalized I fail to see the purpose of continuing to have to spend $20 for a g or $60 for an 1/8th when those costs are inflated due to the inherent risk involved with selling the item - therefore I’m not sure if they’d be bringing in THAT much money - I’d hope that if we legalized it it’d be $20 for a pack of 20 joints or something along those lines.
@farfromsober
those estimates are based on taxing them like alcohol and tobacco. i suspect it could be taxed significantly more heavily and still be cheaper than it is now. i don’t think making it cheaper would be the government’s goal though. i think it would get taxed to the point where the cost is similar and the profit would go to the government. based on those assumptions, i think the actual revenue brought in would be higher than Miron’s estimate.
Uh. Great idea. One (BIG) problem: inital cost to set up this system is enormous, not to mention noone is currently prepared for it. Tobacco companies would want into the business. This would take years to set up I expect. You can’t just wave a wand and suddenly the machine starts rolling out marijuana cigarettes.
@Sean
The great part about this is like you said, Tobacco companies would want into the business. That means private enterprise. No tax dollars needed.
How ’bout the revenues from hemp? Something which has zero intoxicants is considered a drug? If the US took this industry and became the world leader in hemp production there would be nothing but budget surplus. Not to mention much food, fuel and clothing.
I like the theory and stuff, but what happens to the people already locked up for weed related crimes….do we let them out, or are they grandfather ruled into jail?
@jeff
I would let them out. right now we have a very overcrowded prison system and it doesn’t make sense to spend the money it takes to keep them there. it would help a lot of budgets out if we let them go.
Clarky,
I agree in principle.. But I doubt it is that easy to release a large number of criminals into the general population again. Whether or not they were criminals initially spending time in prison will have changed them substantially. Also, we then have to spend money having the giant bureaucracy scrub their police records or we end up with a situation where those people are unemployable.
the only problem with legalizing mary jane would be this: would you really want big corporations getting a hold of it? I mean how much tobacco is in a cigarette? how much filler would they put in a joint? gay?
Abraham Lincoln said that prohibition never works. Marijuana Cannabis Hemp will help us clean up our planet. Food, fiber, medicine, energy, paper…fields of marijuana cannabis hemp. Freedom. Prosperity. Now is the time. We will be persecuted no more. I love marijuana cannabis hemp.
I am a strong supporter of the legalization of cannibas. I am not a user and do not believe I would be if it was legalized. However the amount of tax money we waste each year fighting a battle that we will never win. I realize that this is not as simple as just flipping a switch and poof pot is legal. However the switch needs to be flipped and the blanks filled on how to do this will get filled in. I have heard time and time again pot is no more dangerous then alcohol. In my opinion alcohol is a lot worse. Who has had a hangover from pot? That is because alcohol changes your body’s chemistry negatively when you drink it. Does pot do that? Oh and if you smoke pot it will lead to harder drungs. That may be true is a very small percentage of cases but those people are either currently or were going to go that route anyway. Has anyone been around a bunch of people who were doing pot and seen a fight break out because the were stoned? I have seen more then my fair share of alcohol fueled fights in bars and at parties. It is time our backwards government wakes up and realizes this would boost the economy, create jobs, and is no more and in most cases less harmful then the alcohol and tobacco products that are legal.
If it’s legal, we grow it ourselves and no taxes get paid and no money changes hands. That’s one of the big reasons it’s illegal. The reason tobacco is legal is the government thinks it’s really sweet that tobacco users pay into the Social Security System for 45 years and then, when they turn 65, they all die and never collect a penny. If cannabis were deadly, it might be legal; but since it’s not, it won’t be. Too bad. Greed, lies, and hypocrisy are what our vaunted “greatest nation on Earth” is all about. And the citizens are all impotent, brainwashed dummies, so there’s no hope here.
Joe’s last blog post..The NEW Assault Weapons Ban Is The Problem!
People only cares about the moeny/budget the state will get and how everyone would be happy.. but u also have to look at the fact that MJ is supporting alot of households/families. cutting the mj dealer therefore they will turn into other controlled substances dealer, some might even start robbing people when they only opportunty is sell mj is taken away from them. Ive always wanted mj to be completely legalized but u cant be blindsided
Well, it’s a great debate either way. You can’t have one side that will COMPLETELY win or lose. You have to think about how much money the government will make on it, who will benefit and who will lose, and if they make it legal, how do you regulate it? Do you treat it like alcohol, and if you get caught under the influence get a fine or go to jail for it? If that’s the case, how do you test for it, since it stays in your system for weeks, unlike alcohol that is gone within hours? You could have smoked a joint yesterday, then get pulled over today and if they do a test on you, you’re going to come up positive for it. Do they lay it in the hands of corporations like alcohol and tabacco, or do they leave it in the hands of growers to sell and make them get a license to sell it, and if you’re caught selling illegally, then get a fine for it?
I am all for legalizing it. I believe if anything, it will save taxpayer money AT LEAST on law enforcement and having to arrest, put on trial, spend money in court fees, legal fees, and if they go to jail, to house the offender for the law. That would be a significant difference, no matter what other way they go. As far as what to do with those who are already in jail for it, that would be something we would have to deal with, whether it would be to grandfather them in, or keep them out, but more than likely, if they’re in jail, it’s not JUST for possession of marijuana. Especially in these days, for the most part, it’s just a slap on the wrist, I don’t think you do a life sentence for possessing pot, even with intent to sell. Maybe I’m wrong, I’m not as familiar with those laws as I should be, but last time I remember, it’s not a VERY serious offense for possessing mj.
I think before they go ahead and legalize it, there should be set standards on how to handle it because once it becomes legal, you’re going to have a lot of questions, and a lot of money changing hands.
And on the safety of it, I tend to agree with most of the public that marijuana is actually a bit safer than alcohol. You will always have your bad apples that abuse it and make the rest of the population that just does it quietly in their home not harming anyone look bad as well. Kind of like how people that abuse alcohol and drink and drive tend to give people who just drink a few drinks look bad.
Bottom line is, no, there is no simple solution, but I think if they can put together laws and such for tabacco and alcohol, they should be able to do it for marijuana. *smile*
Excellent; I completely agree!
Does anyone believe that our government will wake up and stop this stupid prohibition in our life time. I highly doubt it. The more and more I think about it the more I think how ridiculous this is.
incremental de criminalizing is a smooth path. most people are so lazy, going to rite aid or the drive through will be easier than growing
I was just thinking that marijauna would be a great stimulus for the economy and did a search. I came across the above article. It has very good points. Al Roker is hosting a show on MSNBC at 10:00 PM Sunday evening(Marijauna Inc)
I don’t think that crime would increase to a great degree. Most dealers I know of are not criminal minded. There are stiffer penalities for
harder drugs (including hash) thus they do NOT want to be involved. Marijuana is also not a gateway drug. I have smoked weed since I was in my 20’s but only in moderation. (Like a drink or two every once in awhile.) I am now 48 and have an infallable memory as well as a productive life.
Thanks for the comment Joe. I agree that it is really no worse, (maybe not as bad), than alcohol. I think the benefits outweigh the possible cons at this point.
Funny how of all the drugs that are out there, it’s the “white man’s” drugs, beer and cigarettes, that are the legal ones. The “other” drugs were all criminalized when America really was suffering from racism.
Hey, cool tips. I’ll buy a bottle of beer to that person from that forum who told me to visit your site
Of all the reasons to make marijuana legal is that our military is fighting the war on drugs which is useless and costly. The government needs the money,the federal gov is fighting marijuana, people are being killed or mained because of the drug war which is useless. The drug dealers are getting rich, we could use the tax revenue, and it is safer for those who in need of safer drugs for their medical treatments.
Studies shoe that 6.2 Billion of taxes could be collected.
And most of all and the most important reason is “Freedom of Choice”.
Its legal for my grown son to get drunk and raise hell, but he cannot
sit in his home and smoke a marijuana with his friends. Its legal for politicians to have their drinks and bars in homes, and private clubs………….but those not so hit up……are not allowed a few pleasures…………that is not “Freedom of Choice”.
I wonder what popular opinion on legalization really is. It seems debate stances haven’t shifted much in the history of narcotics. I found a pretty good back and forth debate over it here: http://www.pandalous.com/topic/on_drugs
So I have to post to this. I am kassandra_m on your twitter a professional blogger. I wrote this blog for a Law Firm in Florida. On topic:
Florida Drug Crimes: Tougher Laws and Penalties for Pot Growers
As the State of Florida has made clear, drug policies, both in the State of Florida and across the nation have virtually been an absolute failure. Millions of dollars have been exhausted through law enforcement, prosecutions and judicial excess.
State law now brings formidable penalties for marijuana growers. The Marijuana Grow House Eradication Act permits prosecutors and law enforcement agents the essential tools to battle those that grow marijuana for profit. With the current law in place any building owned with the intent of cultivating the distribution of marijuana is a third degree felony. If 25 or more plants are grown it is a second degree felony, a first degree felony when children are present. Thus, making the penalties for marijuana growers just about as severe as those charged with the possession of cocaine; it is a third degree felony for the possession of 28 grams of cocaine, a second degree felony for the sale of cocaine and a first degree felony for cocaine trafficking of 150 kilo grams or more.
Legislator’s and law enforcement officials, claim that marijuana grow houses simulate unrelenting liabilities to the community, endanger children and promote environmental hazards, through violence and gun activity. Not including a surge in violent crimes such as burglaries and home invasions.
In central Florida wholesale distribution, midlevel distribution and retail distribution of marijuana alone rated in the Asian/Vietnamese communities only. Wholesale distribution, midlevel distribution and retail distribution along with other drugs to include cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine were high in all other communities. The question posed is marijuana a danger as a singular or a danger combined with other more costly drugs.
According to a 2007 analysis done by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission, the rate of deaths by prescription drugs were three times the rate of deaths that were caused by all illicit drugs combined. 989 deaths were caused by cocaine heroin and methamphetamines, prescription drugs Valium and Xanax were responsible for 743 deaths, 843 for cocaine and none for marijuana.
Cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines are a direct threat throughout Florida with cocaine being readily available through various criminal groups. Miami alone has more emergency department instances affiliated with cocaine abuse than any other illicit drug. Violent crimes are customarily associated with cocaine, specifically in low income inner city communities. Dealers in an attempt to protect their domain often commit violent crimes from assault to homicide. They form criminal gangs that deal cocaine while often engaging in drive by shootings and home invasions.
@clarky
& @ Sean
Okay You both are right it would be a huge industry but it’s not like the government doesn’t have the money for it. Also with the tobacco company’s getting into it. There’s what another 30% At least? It would also give people more jobs to grow and maintain the hemp. And if the Gov’ would grow high quality hemp, they could charge more for it. People would more than likely pay more for better. And if they were smart they could also make cigarette like product to control the product. it’s not like the product is going to cost them a thing. But electricity and packaging. Rest is natural anyhow. So how is it going to be costly?